


Stay

by BeStillMySlashyHeart



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Declarations Of Love, Feels, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-01
Updated: 2019-02-01
Packaged: 2019-10-20 05:31:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17616422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeStillMySlashyHeart/pseuds/BeStillMySlashyHeart
Summary: Michael has been searching for a way home his entire life. And now he's found it.Max and Isobel are staying on Earth but Michael has nothing to keep him here...or does he?





	Stay

**Author's Note:**

> Much much love to caitlesshea and allthehearteyes

“Isobel, wait!” 

Alex turned at the shout. Behind him, Max Evans was chasing down his sister as she made a beeline for Alex. 

He stepped to the side of the sidewalk to give her room to pass but she stopped in front of him with a steely glare. “We need to talk Manes.” She barked.

Alex looked between Isobel and Max as he too stopped next to Alex. “Okay?” He agreed cautiously. He hadn’t had much, or really any, interactions with either Evans twin since high school. Being accosted by both out of nowhere on the street was slightly concerning. 

Isobel grabbed his elbow and tried to turn him but he didn’t budge. “Did I give the impression I was asking?” She asked rhetorically.

He stared her down. He wasn’t sure what was going on but like hell if he was going to let her drag him somewhere. “Did I give the impression I couldn’t walk?” He returned, daring her to answer. 

Max laid a hand on Isobel’s shoulder in an attempt to calm her. She brushed him off. “Fine. Follow us.” And she turned and stalked off down the way she’d come. Alex watched her go but didn’t immediately follow. Instead he turned to Max who also hadn’t moved. He raised an eyebrow in question.

Max sighed. “Please. Come with us. We really do need to talk to you but we can’t do it here.” He looked so earnest that Alex couldn’t refuse. 

He nodded. “Okay. Just don’t grab me.” Max nodded and turned to follow his sister. Isobel was waiting at the end of the block with her arms crossed. Even from here Alex could tell she was worked up about something. But what at first had looked like anger, especially in the way she grabbed him, now seemed to be anxiety. She was worried about something. Very worried.

A cold chill went down his back. In his experience, Isobel Evans-Bracken only really cared enough about three things to get worked up over: her husband, her brother, and Michael Guerin. Max was obviously fine and Alex didn’t know her husband hardly at all - which left Michael. Something was wrong with Michael. He glanced to his side to confirm that Max also looked worried and he quickened his steps. When they met up with Isobel she turned on her heel and led the way to her car. Alex slid in the backseat without comment and soon they were off. 

“You want to tell me what’s going on?” He asked. While he was fairly certain it had to do with Michael, last he had spoken with the man he’d said that no one else knew about them. So there would be no reason for Isobel and Max to come get him. Except they clearly had. 

He watched the two exchange looks in the front seat before Isobel focused on the road and Max let out a heavy sigh. He turned in his seat to look at Alex. “We’re aliens.” 

Alex laughed. “Right. Yeah, okay. What’s really going on?”

“We’re really aliens.” Isobel insisted. “We got here in the 1947 crash but didn’t wake up until 1999. We’ve been living here ever since. Me, Max, and Michael. And now Michael has figured out how to get back to our home planet.” Alex caught her eyes in the rearview mirror. She looked dead serious. He glanced at Max to see the same expression on his face. 

They weren’t joking. They were really aliens. Michael was an alien. Wait-

“Did you say Michael figured out how to get back to your home planet?” He asked.

“Yes.” Max answered him. “And he’s leaving. Now.”

Alex’s heart stopped. Michael was leaving. Michael was leaving _the planet_. Part of him recognized that Max was still talking. “-anything to make him stay.”

He closed his eyes briefly and focused. “Why are you telling me this?” He asked. “And where are we going?”

Isobel made a turn and Alex could see that they were headed out to the desert. “I have certain telepathic abilities.” She told him. “And I looked into Michael’s head to see if there was anything on Earth that would change his mind. Convince him not to leave.” She looked at him in the mirror. “And all I saw was you. Now I don’t know the details. Hell, I don’t even really have any idea of what the hell is going on between you two. But what I do know is that out of everything on this entire planet, the only thing that could make Michael stay here is you. And so that’s what you’re going to do. You’re going to convince Michael to stay.”  
_____

Alex entered the cave slowly. He wanted to rush, afraid that they were too late, but the ground was uneven and he had to step carefully. He spared a thought for Isobel and Max. Max had insisted they wait in the car, that Alex go in alone to talk to Michael. Isobel had not been happy with that but reluctantly agreed. 

Alex wasn’t sure how to feel about that. After Isobel’s proclamation, they’d ridden the rest of the way in silence, Alex trying to process everything he’d just learned. There were actual aliens in Roswell. And Michael was one of them. _He’d had sex with an honest to god alien_ , he thought before he pushed it out of his mind. He had more important things to think about. Like keeping Michael on Earth. Because he was apparently the only one who could. 

Alex had to stop for a moment to control himself. He wanted to laugh for some reason. The whole situation was just too incredible not to. But he knew it wasn’t appropriate. He had to stop Michael. Because Alex was the only thing on the entire planet that Michael cared about enough to stay for. At least, according to Isobel.

Alex shook his head and continued on. He wasn’t sure he believed her. He and Michael hadn’t exactly been getting along these past few months. Not since Alex told him he couldn’t be with a criminal. And even before that, well. It’s just a little surprising that Alex would be the thing to keep him here when even Isobel and Max couldn’t.

He didn’t have much more time to think, thankfully, because the weird glow he was following was getting brighter and he soon reached the chamber Max had told him about. And standing there between three pods was Michael. Alex let out a breath of relief. He wasn’t too late. 

“Geurin,” he called as he entered the chamber. Michael’s head snapped up. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“Alex?” He asked. “What - what the hell are you doing here?” 

Alex didn’t answer immediately. He was too busy looking around. Michael had brought a lot of equipment in here with him and from the looks of things, he wasn’t quite fully set up yet.

“Alex,” Michael called again. “How did you find me? What are you doing here?”

Alex looked back at him. “Max and Isobel came and got me. Told me what’s going on.”

Michael looked taken aback. And, as the words seemed to process, a little scared. Then defiant. “Well good for you. Now you should go back to the car. It’s not safe for you to be in here.” He knelt back down to the equipment he’d been working on, effectively dismissing Alex.

“No.”

Michael froze. Slowly, he stood back up and stared at Alex. “No?”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

Michael let out an ugly laugh. “Well I suppose there is always a first time for everything.”

That hurt. Alex tried not to let it show. He wasn’t here for a fight about their relationship, or lack thereof. 

“You want me to go to the car? Fine, I will.” Michael nodded at him and started to turn. “As long as you come with me.” Michael turned his head. Alex recognized that look. It was the same one Michael gave him the day he moved his trailer from Foster Ranch. When Alex had let slip that he didn’t want Michael to leave Roswell. 

“What exactly did Isobel and Max tell you?” Michael asked, turning to face him fully. He leaned against one of the pods. His movement finally drew Alex’s attention to the pods themselves. This is what brought Michael to Roswell. To Alex. “Well?” Michael asked.

“They told me you came here in that.” He pointed at the pod. “That the three of you are aliens. From another world.” He let out a small laugh and shook his head. It was still a little hard to believe. “That you’re trying to go back to that other world.” He finished quietly. 

Michael slapped the pod and straightened up. “Well there you go. You know my big secret. So what the fuck are you doing here?” He asked again. “I don’t know how this will affect humans. It could take you with me. Or it could kill you. Or even something in between.” He gestured towards the chamber entrance.

Alex didn’t move. “No.” He said again. Michael huffed and put his hands on his hips. 

“Why are you here, Alex?” Michael asked yet again, his voice almost pleading. “I’m finally going to be out of your life for good. Just like you always wanted.”

“I never wanted that.” Alex couldn’t help but say. Michael leveled him with a _look_. Alex closed his eyes briefly. “I didn’t. I don’t.” He insisted.

Michael scoffed and turned his head away. Alex took a step closer to him. “No. Listen to me, Guerin. I don’t want you out of my life for good.” Michael didn’t look at him. “Look. I-” He stopped. He didn’t know how to say this. That was always their problem. They were no good at talking. 

He took a deep breath and steadied himself. If he messed this up, Michael was going to leave, truly leave, and Alex would never see him again. Would never get another shot. He’d been telling himself for months that he didn’t want one. That it was better for him to keep his distance from Michael but faced with the possibility of permanent distance, he realized that it was all bullshit. That he listened too much to his father and the military and _expectations_. And it was about to cost him everything.

He closed the distance between them and waited until Michael looked at him. “I do not want you out of my life. I have never wanted that.” He started. Michael looked like he was about to jump in so he held up a hand. Michael eyed him but he closed his mouth. “I have listened to other people a bit too much in the past, yes. We are different people now than we were in high school and I am having trouble with that, yes. But I know two things to be certain, no matter who we are: I love you. And I want you in my life.” He told him. 

“Alex,” Michael started, his head jerking towards him and his body snapping to attention, but Alex shook his head and held up his hand again, cutting him off.

“I’m not expecting anything from you, ok? I want you to stay. If you leave, I know you won’t ever come back, and that might just break my heart. But it’s not my choice. And I know you have your reasons. God knows I can’t even begin to imagine what it must be like to know nothing about who you are or where you come from. To always have questions and finally be faced with the answers.” He was starting to ramble but he kept going. “So you need to make a choice. And obviously, I have to respect it. So I just- if you do choose to leave today, I needed to tell you. I needed you to know. I couldn’t imagine the idea of never having told you that I love you. I just always kind of thought there would be time, you know? Somehow, we’d always have another chance and-”

Michael slipped a hand around the back of his neck and pulled him in close, cutting him off with a bruising kiss. Alex melted into it. He’d gone 10 years without this but somehow the last few months had felt like an eternity. Knowing that he was right there, every second he spent without Michael felt ten times longer for his absence. 

He reached up with his left hand and tangled his fingers in the curls at the back of Michael’s neck. Alex felt Michael start to pull away but he wouldn’t let him. Rather, he slipped his right hand from the crutch and wrapped his arm around Michael’s waist, ignoring the loud clatter as the metal fell to the floor. He held Michael tight to him and didn’t pull away until he ran out of breath. Even then, they only separated far enough to catch their breaths, foreheads leant against one another. 

“Hey,” Michael said softly, nudging at his forehead until he pulled back enough to look him in the eyes. “I love you too. Hell, I’ve been in love with you since I was 17.”

Alex smiled and pulled him back in. This time, the kiss was slower yet more intense somehow. A low groan fell from Alex’s lips as he pulled away and Michael chased the sound. Alex had no idea how long they stood there, kissing. All he knew was that it might be their last kiss and he didn’t want it to end. 

Eventually, slowly, they pulled away. In the light of the pods, Alex noticed tears in Michael’s eyes, some having already spilled over onto his cheeks. It wasn’t until Michael swiped a thumb over his own cheek that Alex realized that he too was crying. With a sad smile, he took a step back and wiped as his own face. 

“I can’t make this choice for you, Michael. And if you choose to stay, I can’t be the only reason for it. I can’t make you any promises about what the future holds for us, okay? So I cannot be the one thing keeping you here. If I am-” he paused and swiped at some more tears. “If I am the only thing in Earth’s favor, then I think you should go home. There’s a whole world out there waiting for you, after all.”

Michael didn’t answer. He just stood there looking at Alex, letting the tears fall. Alex picked up his crutch and took another step back. And another. And another. 

Somehow he’d made it back to the entrance of the chamber without taking his eyes off of Michael, neither man saying a word. He had reached the point where he would have to turn around and walk away. Leave Michael in this chamber. Leave him with this choice.

“I love you,” he told him again. And then he left.

As he walked out of the cave, he let the tears flow. Only when the entrance to the cave was in sight and he heard nothing from behind him did he stop and wipe away the tears. He took the moment to compose himself before exiting. 

Ahead of him, Isobel jumped out from the car and started hurrying towards him. Max pushed himself off from where he was leaning on the front bumper. Alex had almost forgotten they were here, waiting. He kept his head down as he walked over to them, Isobel meeting him halfway with Max not far behind.

“Where is he?” Isobel demanded. She looked behind him but didn’t see Michael. “Well?” 

Max took in the look on Alex’s face and grabbed Isobel gently by the arm. “Is…”

She tried to shake him off. “No. We brought you out here to STOP him!” She yelled at Alex, but the tears were already starting to appear in her eyes. “Goddammit!” 

Max tugged her gently into a hug. Over her head, he looked to Alex. “Is he already gone?”

Alex shrugged and looked away. “I told him he had to make a choice. And then I left. He was still there when I did.”

None of them said anything for a long moment. Distantly, Alex realized they were standing outside in the blazing sun and his back was getting sweaty. But that didn’t matter. None of it mattered right now.

“Well I’ll be damned.” Max whispered. Alex and Isobel both looked at him only to see his gaze fixed behind them. They turned to see Michael exiting the cave with a piece of equipment in his hands. Alex felt the smile take over his face.

Beside him, Isobel pulled away from Max’s lax grip and ran to Michael with a shout. She enveloped him in a tight hug that Michael eagerly returned. When she pulled away she slapped him on the arm, prompting a loud, “Hey!”, from Michael. She pointed a finger at him, “Don’t ever do that to me again!” Alex suspected she had meant to sound angry but the waiver in her voice gave her away. 

Michael clearly heard it too because he pulled her into another hug and whispered something in her ear, making her laugh a little breathlessly. After they separated for the second time, they walked over to where Alex and Max still stood. 

“So you’re staying?” Max questioned. “For real?”

Michael held out the piece of equipment he’d brought out with him. “Without this, none of us can leave.” Max took it and looked at it. “Why don’t you hold onto that for me?”

Max looked at him in shock before nodding. The two looked at each other before Michael rolled his eyes and reached out an arm. Max smiled and took the invitation for what it was, stepping into a surprisingly warm embrace. When he stepped back, Max looked between Michael and Alex and smiled. He nodded at Isobel then gestured his head away from the two men. She smiled and followed him into the car. Alex heard it start up and music start to play. 

“So.” Alex started.

“Uhuh,” Michael cut him off. “My turn.” Alex smiled and looked away briefly.

“You are not the only reason I am staying. You are a part of it yes. Hell, you’re a big part, I won’t lie. But those two,” he pointed his thumb at the car, “those two are a huge reason too. If they were going with me, I would’ve left.”

Alex nodded. He’d expected that, to be honest. He really hadn’t wanted to be Michael’s sole reason for remaining on Earth. But it did give him a little thrill to know he’d probably been the deciding factor.

Michael stepped in close. “I don’t know what’s going to happen either. You said you couldn’t make any promises about the future, well I’m gonna make you one.” He looked Alex in the eyes. “I am in this. And you can push me away again, fine. It will hurt like hell, but it ultimately won’t change anything; I will still be in this.” He shook his head and smiled, “God, I am so in love with you that it kinda scares the crap out of me. But I’ve accepted by now that it’s not going away. So no matter what, I am in this with you. Whatever you decide this is.” He gestured between the two of them. 

Alex smiled. For once in his life ignoring the fact that there were other people around, he closed the tiny distance still between them. In the moments before their lips met he let out a whispered, “So am I.”


End file.
